Onto Pastures Green
by FirinMahLazor
Summary: The Battle is won, The villain is defeated. But what happened in the short amount of time following the end of The Battle Of Hogwarts?
1. Chapter 1

This fanfic is based just after the ending of DH, when Harry has just repaired the Elder Wand.

I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter. If I did I would be a billionaire, and not sat in dark flat with a cheese sandwich.

Slowly, the three friends descended the spiral stair case from the Headmasters office. The gryphon looked up at them as they carefully moved around the fallen statue. Harry pointed the longer of the two wands he was carrying at the lifeless piece of granite.

"Reparo" he murmured, softly. The gryphon flew back up into place as Harry turned away, and started slowly walking back towards the main hall.

"Harry, where are we going?" Hermione's voice sounded loud in the thick silence of the hall, as the dust started to settle around their feet.

"There's something I need to do," Harry replied "You two go back to the main hall, go find Mrs. Weasly. She'll want you with her. I won't be long."

"Are you sure Harry? You don't look too good…" Hermione peered searchingly into his eyes.

"Let's face it," Ron interjected, "How many of us do after tonight?" Hermione nodded sadly.

"Yes. You're right. Are you sure you're going to be alright Harry, we can come with you…"

"Yeah, mum can wait a few minutes…"

"No, I'll be fine. I just want a few minutes alone. Please." Harry quickly pulled them both into a hug, before turning away and heading swiftly down the Grand Staircase towards the front doors.

He stepped outside into the clear night sky. The air was fresh and cold, the grass crisp beneath his feet. Somewhere, far on the horizon a few dim streaks of pink and yellow were beginning to show through the cloud. It seemed such a long time ago that they had arrived, scared and unsure outside the Hogs Head just the evening of the day before.

Harry breathed in deeply. He could smell blood and smoke mingling through the damp morning air. He began to walk swiftly away from the castle, along to the shore of the lake, then around to where he knew the white marble table still stood. Rubble scattered the ground close to the ruined school, and further away the now damp grass was muddy from the many people who had run, panicking across the lawn mere hours ago.

As Harry approached the table he slowed, coming to a halt a few meters away. "I did the best I could." He raised the Elder Wand, pointing at the ground at the foot of the table. The earth split, leaving a gash a foot long and three inches wide. Into this, Harry dropped the wand which had caused the wizarding world so much trouble. The earth magically resealed itself, as if even it had seen too much damage on its surface to ever want to see the wand again.

Harry sat against the trunk of a willow, overlooking the lake. Behind the smooth layer of black water, the mountains held themselves up in the mist, as the sun slowly rose behind them. He watched as the new dawn turned from black, to gray, pink, to yellow. Just as the top of the sun started to appear over the green points of the mountains, he heard a gentle movement behind him. He turned his head, letting his cheek brush the rough bark. Ginny stood a short distance away, her jeans were ripped and muddy, her black shirt had a tear at the shoulder. Her flaming red hair fell around her shoulders to her waist, framing her face with fire.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, thanks for all the lovely reviews so far just so you know, this is my first fanfic so sorry if it's a bit washy. I'll try to get another chapter up in a few days, but I am doing exams at the moment :P

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><p>Harry carefully climbed to his feet. The pair stood apart, silently staring at each other. Harry stepped forward, once, twice. Inspecting her a little more, he saw the thin cuts on her hands, around the tops of her head. He saw the streaks of blood and mud in her hair and the graze under her left eye. She walked towards him, quickly closing the last few feet between them. She ran the final few steps, throwing her arms around his neck and letting her head rest on his shoulder. He held her in his arms, neither of them speaking a word. He tangled her red hair around his fists, vowing silently that he wasn't going to make the mistake of letting go of her again.<p>

They sat together by the lake, and watched the sun finish rising. The large yellow orb hung in the sky above them, highlighting the damage that had been done to the grounds. Trees lay on their side; pieces of earth had been gouged away. Part of the perimeter wall was missing where the army of dark wizards had fought their way in. Pieces of tower had been blasted away and now lay scattered on the ground. Further towards the forest it was possible to see the curling, spindly legs of the giant spiders that had died fighting for the Death Eaters.

Harry lent his head on his knees, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Stop it."

Harry looked up at Ginny, who had spoken unexpectedly. "Stop what?"

"Blaming yourself. You're doing it, don't deny it." She continued to stare out across the water. "You stopped a lot more good people from dying. Yes, we lost people, it's inevitable, and it's what happens in wars. But we can't blame ourselves." She turned to look at him now. "Harry. You've done so much for the wizarding world. So much more than anyone ever expected from a spotty, scrawny seventeen year old." She smiled at this, and Harry couldn't help but smile with her. She was, as ever, correct. He tipped his head back, allowing rays of sunlight to splash across his closed eyes. He stretched out his legs, and felt Ginny settle her head across his knees. He stroked her hair, feeling content, although still unable to shift the nagging feeling that he could have done more, could have saved at least one more person. Fred, so that the twins would still be together. Lupin, or Tonks, so that tiny Teddy, his _godson_ would not be an orphan, at nearly one year old. Just like himself. Just like his own, Teddy's parents had both died fighting Voldemort.

How could he have done this to his own godson? He opened his eyes to look at Ginny. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing softly; content. Her red hair fell over his legs and onto the grass. The red of the graze underneath her eye stood out harshly against her porcelain skin. He reached out and gently brushed her cheek with one finger, where a purple bruise was just starting to appear. She opened her eyes and smiled at him and she was beautiful. "I told you not to go and fight." Harry whispered.

"How could I not?" She sounded exhausted "My whole family was in there. My best friends. I had to know if you were alive. I wanted to help. And still you managed to get yourself killed. Silly thing." She tapped his nose with one thin finger, and shut her eyes once more. Overhead two black owls flew out towards the rising sun.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry opened his eyes to find a small blonde creature drop down next to him on the grass. The sun was higher in the sky, so he assumed he must have slept. Luna pushed her long white blonde hair off her face and smiled in the eerie way she had. "Good morning Harry, you seemed to have drifted away for a while there. I expect you just have a bothersome wrackspurt, they're everywhere down here." She waved one hand around vaguely in the air, as one does to disrupt a cloud of irritating flies, or drive away a bee. Ginny was just waking up, stretching out like cat. "Ron and Hermione were looking for you. I had a feeling you might be down here. They wanted you to know that Professor McGonagall has sent owls to everybody's families, she wanted them to know what had happened before they read it in the prophet, which means reporters will be here soon. I go into the common room if I were you. If I was in your place, I don't think I'd want to be retelling what had just happened to a journalist."

"Okay, thanks Luna. How are you, you weren't hurt were you?" Harry looked up into her bright, grey eyes.

"Oh no, I was quite alright, just a little hungry. I think I'll go see if there's pudding. Goodbye Harry, Ginny."

"Yeah, bye Luna. See you later." Harry nodded to the younger girl as she hopped to her feet, waved at the pair still lying on the grass and turned back towards the castle.

Ginny pulled herself up, so that she was level with Harry leaning against the willow, and started to pull her fingers through her hair, pulling out pieces of dirt and blood from the night before. "I do adore that girl. She was so good for the DA when the Carrows came; she did wonders for group moral. I think it was mostly her ability to distract them. She kept telling stories about the holidays she and her father had spent looking for all those strange animals she goes on about." She smiled to herself, but Harry couldn't feel a sense of guilt. He had left them on their own, at the mercy of the evil Carrows. "I'm sorry Ginny. Honestly. I'm sorry I left. But I had to find the horcruxs-"

"I know Harry, I know. I don't blame you, and neither should you. Blaming yourself won't get you anywhere. It's all over now." She moved so that she was kneeling facing him, "Harry, all of it is over. We're never going to have to run from death eaters again! We can finally have our lives back!" She almost looked like she was going to cry from happiness after this little speech. She leaned forward to kiss Harry on the forehead. Getting to her feet, she stuck a hand out to him, and he pulled himself to his feet. He wrapped his arms around her waist, tucked her head under his chin. "Our lives."

She paused for a moment, then echoed his words. "Our lives." She looked up into his eyes. "Forever."

This time he paused; and then, "Forever."

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><p>Hey guys, sorry it's a really short one, I just wanted to get this final bit done for today. I might be able to post more later, if I can fit it in with revision. Please keep reading and writing reviews, it means an awful lot to me. Hope you like it! Cheers, Az x<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

The pair slipped in through the front doors, and climbed the stairs together, observing the damage to the great school. Portraits had been torn, or else knocked to the pulled to the floor. Stained glass windows had been smashed, and the lead casing twisted out of place. Statues and suits of armor had been knocked over and broken.

The statue of the One Eyed Witch, who had long since guarded the most favorable passage way to Hogsmead, had suffered from a one arm being blasted away. Every now and then Harry and Ginny tapped objects with their wands, Harry muttering 'Reparo' underneath his breath. Ginny had no need – she had been forced to get good a non-verbal spells fast during the previous year.

The majority of the corridors were deserted, many students having finally retired to their well earned sleep after the initial confused celebration. However, one or two passed by, mostly first and second years, having returned from the safety of Hogsmead, being too frightened to attempt sneaking back in to help the fight.

They stared up at Harry and Ginny, scared looks on their tiny faces, already knowing everything that had happened. They looked quickly away when Harry caught their eye, too shy to talk to the Boy Who Lived.

Occasionally an exhausted but cheerful looking teacher, or an amazing ministry official passed by, noting what was broken and repairing what damage they could, although a lot had been done by more serious dark magic. They nodded at Harry and smiled, but did not stop to talk. There was a lot of work to be done in the next few days.

Once or twice, Harry stopped a passer- by to thank them for their help. They gripped his hand, nodded, smiled and hurried on their way. He was proud of all of them; Ginny couldn't help but notice how his face lit up a little when he spoke to them. They both knew that without them all, the war would not have been won.

Before they rounded the final corner, a small family approached from where they appeared to have been waiting. Mrs. Malfoy stepped forward from around her husband and son, and shifted a little nervously, as if she wasn't sure how she was going to say what she wanted to. Before she could speak however, Harry reached out and took her hand in both of his own.

His face was sincere as he glanced quickly at her husband, then back into the thin woman's eyes. "Narcissa. I honestly can't thank you enough. What you did in the forest was incredibly brave. I owe you my life. Thank you, so, so much." He squeezed her shoulder, as she looked like she was about to cry.

"You saved my sons life. You owe my nothing. You saved our family." She hurried back to her husband before she burst into tears. Lucius himself looked so much older than when Harry had last seen him. His hair hung lankly around his face and there were dark shadows under his eyes.

Draco approached Harry. Standing a couple of feet the two men looked at each other, eye to eye. For a few seconds everything seemed to stand still, then, slowly Draco held out one hand. "I think what my mother wants to tell you… Harry is that we owe you an awful lot. You saved my life. The Dark L- Voldemort had us in his power for too long. It was hard to stay loyal to a man so cruel. I, personally, am sorry for everything I have ever done, against you, your friends," He nodded to Ginny, and then continued. "I can't ask for your forgiveness. Only ask that you won't hold anything against my family for what we have done. We all realize what idiots we have been."

Harry looked at him for a moment, and then took his outstretched hand. In a gesture no one expected, he swiftly pulled the taller boy forward, and wrapped one arm around his shoulders for a moment. Stepping back he simply said; "I would never dream of it, Draco."

The blonde boy looked relived. He squeezed Harry's hand one final time, then rejoined his father, who inclined his head to Ginny and bowed slightly to Harry, then led his family away, to what Harry presumed would be home.

He turned to look at Ginny, and her eyes were full of tears. "I'll never understand how you mange to carry on being so noble." She laughed, and reached up to kiss Harry on the cheek. "Come on, I expect Ron and Hermione will be worried about us."

Yay! Draco got an appearance! Yay! I wrote this chapter in the library while meant to be revising, so that if I fail science I know who to blame. I hope you enjoyed it, please review, it tells me what you want :L Criticism is like gold. See you all soon! Az x


	5. Chapter 5

Harry and Ginny staggered into the common room. Few people were there, but from the dormitories above there was a creak of floor boards and the sound of a tap running. Tiny Dennis Creevy was sat by the window, writing a letter, a single tear sliding down his nose. Katie Bell was dozing in a chair by the portrait hole, as if she had fallen asleep waiting for someone.

In front of the fire, someone had dragged a sofa forward, to make the most of the heat. Ron was sat to one side, legs outstretched, his left arm resting on the on the red leather, the other on his knee. Next to him, Hermione was asleep with her head on his shoulder, feet tucked underneath her.

Ginny walked quickly over, and sat at her brother's feet. "Where's mum?"

"I think they're using the Room Of Requirement as a dormitory for parents and other fighters for a day or two. She's probably there with Dad, and Bill and Charlie." Ron moved his right arm so that it draped along the back of the sofa, around Hermione.

"Where are Percy and George?" Ginny looked a little puzzled.

Ron paused before he answered. "Last time I saw them they were still with… still with Fred. Percy's fuming at himself for having not stuck around at home, and I have no idea about George. S'far as I know he hasn't spoken since you went out this morning Harry."

For the first time Ron looked back over his shoulder at Harry, you slowly made his way over to the sofa, and sank down next to Hermione, who shifted slightly, and blearily opened her eyes. "Oh Harry, you're back. I was beginning to worry about you, where have you been?"

"Nowhere, just down at the lake. Ginny came to find me." At the mention of her name, Ginny lent back on Harry's legs, and rested her head on his lap. Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione, who inched a little closer to him.

In a hushed voice, Hermione asked, "What did you do with the wand?"

"It's back where it should be, with Dumbledore. But no one else can know, ok? As long as on one goes to find it, its power dies with me. With any luck, we'll never have anything near a repeat of what happened."

Hermione nodded. "Good. That was a good decision Harry. I'm proud of you." She settled back against Ron, who himself looked like he was about to fall asleep.

Harry stood up, and stretched. According to the clock on the mantel piece, it was seven o'clock. He guessed he had had around two hours sleep. "If you don't mind guys, I'm going up to bed, I'm exhausted."

"Good plan mate, think I will as well, in a few minutes." Ron nodded at Hermione over her head in a meaningful way, and turned back to face the fire.

Just as Harry was halfway up the stairs leading to the boys dormitory, he heard Ginny call from behind him, "Hang on Harry, there's, something I want to ask you." She hopped up, and did a little rush over to the bottom of the stairs. She slipped past Harry, and pulled him up behind her, until they were stood on the landing outside the door to Harry and Ron's old room.

"What did you want to ask me Gin?" Harry looked down at her, as she took both of his hands in her own.

"I wanted to know… I wanted to know what the last thought you had was before… before you died." She blushed slightly, but continued to stare up into his eyes.

"My last thought?" Harry cocked his head to one side, smiling slightly at the odd question. "My last thought was this." And Harry kissed her.

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><p>And with that, my darlings, I bid you goodbye. I will be doing a follow up in a few weeks, of what happens a few years later, but this is the end for Onto Pastures Greener. Please review if you have anything that you want to happen in the follow up, and let me know if you enjoyed this one! This was my first fanfic, and I want to know if I'm any good :L Thankyou so much for reading, and I'll see you soon. *waves*<p> 


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